Abstract.We have carried out a multifrequency analysis of the radio variability of blazars, exploiting the data obtained during the extensive monitoring programs carried out at the University of Michigan Radio Astronomy Observatory (UMRAO, at 4.8, 8, and 14.5 GHz) and at the Metsähovi Radio Observatory (22 and 37 GHz). Two different techniques detect, in the Metsähovi light curves, evidence of periodicity at both frequencies for 5 sources (0224 + 671, 0945 + 408, 1226 + 023, 2200 + 420, and 2251 + 158). For the last three sources, consistent periods are found also at the three UMRAO frequencies and the Scargle (1982) method yields an extremely low false-alarm probability. On the other hand, the 22 and 37 GHz periodicities of 0224+671 and 0945 + 408 (which were less extensively monitored at Metsähovi and for which we get a significant false-alarm probability) are not confirmed by the UMRAO database, where some indications of ill-defined periods of about a factor of two longer are retrieved. We have also investigated the variability index, the structure function, and the distribution of intensity variations of the most extensively monitored sources. We find a statistically significant difference in the distribution of the variability index for BL Lac objects compared to flat-spectrum radio quasars (FSRQs), in the sense that the former objects are more variable. For both populations the variability index steadily increases with increasing frequency. The distribution of intensity variations also broadens with increasing frequency, and approaches a log-normal shape at the highest frequencies. We find that variability enhances by 20-30% the high frequency counts of extragalactic radio-sources at bright flux densities, such as those of the WMAP and P surveys. In all objects with detected periodicity we find evidence for the existence of impulsive signals superimposed on the periodic component.
We present results of simulations performed with the Geant4 software code of the effects of Galactic Cosmic Ray impacts on the photoconductor arrays of the PACS instrument. This instrument is part of the ESA-Herschel payload, which will be launched in 2008 and will operate at the Lagrangian L2 point of the Sun-Earth system. Both the Satellite plus the cryostat (the shield) and the detector act as source of secondary events, affecting the detector performance. Secondary event rates originated within the detector and from the shield are of comparable intensity. The impacts deposit energy on each photoconductor pixel but do not affect the behaviour of nearby pixels. These latter are hit with a probability always lower than 7%.The energy deposited produces a spike which can be hundreds times larger than the noise. We then compare our simulations with proton irradiation tests carried out for one of the detector modules and follow the detector behaviour under 'real' conditions.
Abstract. We attempt to define the structural properties of Broad Absorption Line (BAL) QSOs and their relationship with the general quasar population using the Eigenvector 1 correlations. We identify 8 low-redshift quasars (z < 0.5, 6 with a BALnicity index > 0 km s −1 ) where it was possible to combine optical and UV spectroscopic observations. The special utility of low-z quasars involves our ability to discuss Civλ1549 BAL QSOs in the context of the Eigenvector 1 optical parameter space and to have a reliable measure of the quasar rest frame. We find that the majority of the BAL sources are population A sources as defined in Sulentic et al. (2000). At least 2 sources that are hosted by ultra-luminous IR galaxies show intriguing effects in their nuclear spectra. A possible correlation between the terminal velocity and luminosity L also suggests that the luminosity to black hole mass ratio (L/M ) is a governing factor with the largest terminal velocity BALs showing the highest L/M values. The Civλ1549 emission line profiles of classical BALs show the ubiquitous E1 population A blue-shift that supports a disk+wind scenario with an opening angle of < 45 • . Observation of "secondary" BAL features roughly in correspondence with the mean radial velocity of the Civλ1549 emission motivates us to model the BAL systems with an additional component that may share the BLR outflow and may be co-axial with the accretion disk, perhaps associated to a significant black hole spin.
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